Helmed
Helmed is the past tense and past participle of the verb helm, meaning to steer or to be in command of a vessel, vehicle, or project. In nautical use, to helm a ship is to steer it using the helm; take the helm refers to assuming command. The noun helm denotes the wheel or mechanism used to steer a vessel, and by extension the position of leadership or control.
The term’s figurative sense extends beyond ships to organizations, teams, films, and other undertakings, where someone
Etymology: Helmed derives from the noun helm, the steering apparatus on a vessel, with the verb form
Usage notes: Helmed is widely understood across genres, but some style guides prefer alternatives such as led